Darkness Rising
by Peneia Teke
Summary: AU  The war between humans and vampires lasted three weeks.  Now, in a world where humans are treated like cattle, Haruno Sakura is sold to Uchiha Sasuke, heir to the powerful Uchiha Clan.  Will she find hope in the heart of darkness?
1. Prologue: Cold

**Author's Note**: So here I am, starting another story when I have several that haven't been updated in years. This was an older project I started and forgot about… before I actually thought up a plot. Yay!

I'm for the idea that vampires are kind of like wild animals. They're unpredictable, untamable, and, often times, dangerous. Obviously, they still have human qualities, but they don't necessarily think the same way as human beings.

This is sort of an experiment, so I'll update it depending on the amount of feedback I get. If you like it and want to see an update, please review. If you don't like it, please review anyway and tell me why you don't like it. If I don't get much interest in it, I won't continue. Yep, it's going to be like that.

**Warning**: language, death, and mentions of rape. This is going to be pretty dark, so if you don't like that kind of thing, turn back now. There are no sparkling vampires here. ^_^

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><p><strong>Prologue: Cold<br>**

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><p>Haruno Sakura's eyes fluttered open, and she jolted forward, feeling alarmed. She instinctively pulled a kunai from her belt and turned to assess her surroundings, relaxing only slightly when she remembered where she was. She was in the Forest of Death against her better judgment, waiting on someone who might not even show up. She checked her watch and calculated that she'd been waiting nearly twenty five minutes already. That meant that fifteen of those minutes had been spent in a state of unconsciousness, leaving her totally open and vulnerable to anyone or anything that happened to wander by.<p>

Sakura shuddered. That could have ended badly. She shifted on the branch she'd been sitting on and peered around at the shadowy trees. Now, the only thing left was to find the source that had disturbed her sleep.

A cold tremor raced across her flesh, and she wrapped her arms around herself, contemplating going back to her village. She hopped lightly to the ground and flinched as the dead foliage crackled under her feet, too loud against the heavy stillness. She felt uneasy being out here by herself at night, especially with everything that had been going on.

Several brutal murders had been committed in the village of Konoha in the past month, and though that wasn't necessarily unheard of, it was the nature of these murders that had people talking.

"_Did you hear what happened to Kishimoto-san last night?"_

"_My God, I know. They've been playing the footage on the news all morning. I just can't believe something like __**that**__ could happen to someone like __**him**__."_

"_He was visiting his wife's grave."_

"_Yeah, it's so sad… That just goes to show that no one around here is safe."_

The victims had been drained of blood with various limbs detached from their bodies. The most disturbing part, however, was that all five had been marked with the symbol of the Uchiha, the legendary vampire clan that was supposed to have been disbanded seven years ago.

During the time of their reign, chaos and death had spread like a plague across Konohagure. The Uchiha frequently visited the village of Konoha, killing as they pleased and taking with them villagers they used to force the village's leader, the Yondaime, to comply with their demands. If it hadn't been for the Hyuuga, a clan of vampires that sided with Konoha, the village would have died out long ago.

Unfortunately, Hiashi, the leader of the Hyuuga Clan, had been assassinated a year ago, and one of the elders had taken his place. While some of the Hyuuga still supported the humans living in Konoha, many others were leaning toward allying themselves with the Uchiha, believing that a vampire uprising would occur.

With her senses on overdrive, any little sound or movement sent Sakura's heart beating rapidly in her chest as if the adrenaline coursing through her body magnified it tenfold. It was always the way she felt before he arrived. When the cold sweat trickling down her neck made her jump in fear, she nearly gave into the urge to sprint back toward the safety of the village. However, fear and curiosity kept her rooted to her bench.

When he finally revealed himself, as she knew he eventually would, it was from the shadows of the trees on her right. She didn't understand what was so significant about the right side to him, whether it was arrogance, superiority, or perhaps, the need to block her exit, but for whatever reason he always seemed to appear on her right.

For a moment they both just stared, neither saying anything nor making a move to approach the other. The moon was bright overhead, thrusting eerie shadows across his torso and giving the illusion that he had no legs. It gave him a frightening appearance.

"Hi," she finally whispered, feeling her voice waver, "Sasuke-sama."

His face was dead, emotionless like a manikin, and she felt unnerved, having always been one to display her emotions openly. She glanced away from the coldness of his eyes and began to fidget nervously with her sleeves.

"It's been awhile," he said at last.

"Yeah... I've been busy," she lied. In truth she'd just been too afraid to leave the village since the breakout of vampirish murders. "I just... well... I didn't want-"

"It's ok," he replied, coolly, "You don't need to explain."

Sakura nodded and glanced back down at her hands. This was when things always took an awkward turn. Uchiha Sasuke was the only one of his kind Sakura had ever met, and she wasn't quite sure how to approach him. He was very good looking, with his dark hair and fair complexion. His eyes startled her, though. She'd seen them change from black to red and back again more than once during their brief encounters. She eventually figured out that it was better if his eyes remained black. And, of course, there were the fangs. Sakura was fascinated by them but didn't have the gall to ask to see them, and he didn't offer to show them to her.

She had quickly learned that vampires were arrogant creatures by nature and looked down at anything they felt beneath them. Apparently this included humans. Referring to Sasuke with anything less than his self appointed title pissed him off. Physical contact was completely off limits, though Sakura had yet to understand why. Eye contact was ok as long as he didn't feel that Sakura was challenging him. Most importantly, she made an effort to move slowly around him. Too much movement too fast ignited a vampire's primal instincts to hunt and kill. Thankfully, she'd learned this from a book and not from personal experience.

Sakura reached into the bag she'd brought, ignoring Sasuke's pointed stare. She pulled out a large, ripe tomato and offered it to him with a shy smile. "I got you something, today."

He stared at it for a moment as though trying to figure out a difficult puzzle. "...What... is it?"

She blinked in surprise. "A tomato." When he continued to stare at her blankly, she elaborated, "You told me last time you've always been curious about their taste, so I just thought..."

He stared at her until her smile slipped, and she began to wonder if she'd made a mistake. But then he made an amused sound, something between a grunt and a chuckle, and Sakura couldn't help but giggle herself. She offered the tomato, again, and Sasuke walked forward to take it.

The tips of his fingers brushed hers and lingered there a little longer than necessary before he took a step back, red eyes fixed intently on hers. Sakura felt her stomach clench uncomfortably as he brought the tomato to his mouth and bit into it slowly, sucking away the juice that flowed from the punctured skin. She wanted to look away but his empty eyes pulled her in. It was alluring, like something from a dream.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when her cell phone beeped, and after an apologetic glance at Sasuke, she pulled it out and flipped it open. She knew by instinct that it was her best friend, Uzumaki Naruto, sending her a text message. She read it over briefly and smiled.

"Who was that?" Sasuke asked casually as she turned off her phone.

Sakura subconsciously tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear, a gesture of her uneasiness, and giggled nervously. "Oh, that was just my friend, Naruto. He likes to check up on me from time to time. Especially since... Well, you know..."

"Does he know about me?" he asked, sharply.

"Um, no, I haven't told him. I haven't told anyone, actually."

Sasuke blinked and looked down, narrowing his eyes at her. "Why not?" He almost sounded insulted.

"Well..." Sakura hesitated, suddenly felling ashamed and guilty, though she wasn't quite sure why. "You're a vampire, and I don't think he or anyone else would be happy knowing I've been spending time with you." She looked up at him curiously. "Why? Have you told any of your clan members about me?" She was careful to avoid saying 'friends' or 'family', having never heard Sasuke mention them. She wasn't even sure if vampires had friends.

Sasuke grunted and shoved his hands into his pant pockets, staring at something over her head. "It isn't any of their business."

She smiled and turned her attention back to her hands. "Sasuke-kun, I've been meaning to ask you something," she said, completely oblivious to the stiffening of his body. "These recent murders... It wasn't you, who-" before she could finish her sentence, before she could even react Sasuke lunged forward and grabbed her throat, leaning down near her face. Sakura made a small, fearful noise and felt her heart skip a beat.

"Don't ever call me that," he said coldly. "Unless you're implying the desire for something more intimate." His eyes suddenly narrowed, and his lips quirked up in a cold smile.

Feeling the pressure on her throat increase, Sakura's hands shot to his as she tried to pry them off her. "Sasuke...! What are you doing?" she gasped. "Please... Stop!"

"Why should I?" he leered at her. She could see his fangs, now. "Tell me why I shouldn't snap your neck? What's to stop me," he leaned closer, breathing in her ear, "from fucking the life out of you. Right here? On this bench?"

"You… you wouldn't really do that, would you?" Sakura's jade eyes were wide as she stared at him.

"Why not?" he breathed softly, relaxing his grip on her neck and leaning in to kiss her pulse point. "I've done worse."

She tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he pinned her against the tree of the trunk, his gaze never wavering from her fearful eyes. "Isn't that what you wanted?" he taunted cruelly. "When you called me 'Sasuke-kun'?"

"No! It wasn't!" she pleaded, struggling against him. This wasn't the Sasuke she'd come to consider a friend. "Get off—you're hurting me! Please, snap out of it!"

"No one will hear you scream out here, and when your little _friends_ finally find your body, they won't even be able to recognize it." He gave her a wicked grin, and his eyes glinted red in the moonlight.

She felt a sense of panic as she realized he wasn't in control of his instincts. He would rape her and then kill her, and no one would ever know what happened. She wouldn't let herself go down that way. Summoning chakra into her hands, she used her inhumane strength to push him off her. "_Get away_!"

Sasuke grunted in surprise and jumped back one or two steps before regaining his composure. He stared at her in shock for a fleeting moment before his lips curled into a smirk, and he folded his arms over his chest smugly. "...So you're _not_ just a simpering, little girl," he said appraisingly, "There _is_ some fight in you, after all."

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she watched him. He seemed more relaxed than he'd ever been during their previous encounters, and the red had completely bled into his black irises, which meant his vampire side had complete control. "Only when I have to." She was standing now, quivering in anger or perhaps fear. She wasn't sure at this point.

Sasuke gave an indifferent shrug. "I admit I underestimated you, but that won't happen, again."

"I won't give you the chance to try, again," she snapped, taking a step back and raising a fist.

He gave a humorless chuckle and shoved his hands back into his pockets. "There's no reason to try and act tough. Unless, you truly wish to die."

"Bastard! If you think you're so powerful," Sakura snapped, adrenaline and anger taking control of her logical senses, "then try dodging this!" With a yell she slammed her fist into the ground. The earth shook and split while the aftershock of the punch sent tremors racing toward Sasuke. He vanished before they reached him, and Sakura looked around wildly, trying to calculate where he'd next appear.

"...Sakura..."

She froze as the tip of his katana was pushed into her lower back, and his breath tingled against her neck. "It's over. Don't move." She felt her shoulders slump in despair and took a slow, steady breath. She hadn't even sensed him behind her. "In a real fight you'd be dead in less than two minutes."

"I don't think you'd really kill me," she said boldly, sensing a change in him. He was back in control of himself, or rather, his logical, dominant side was in control over his instincts.

"Is that so? You didn't sound so confident a moment ago."

"You saved me that day, remember?" Sakura said, turning to face him. "And I've been coming to see you since last September. You've had plenty of chances to kill me." She paused before adding, "Why would you do it now?"

"...Sakura..." Sasuke cocked his head as if observing something mildly interesting. "Why _do_ you come?"

She felt startled at the use of her name and blinked in surprise. "What?"

"You know what I am," he said, pointing at himself, "You know what I've done. And yet, you keep coming back. Why?"

"Well, I..." Sakura stuttered, feeling blood rush to her cheeks. The worst part was she knew he could probably sense it. She took a deep breath and started over. "You won't come to the village, and I... I like seeing you." She stared hard at the ground, suddenly finding the leaves and brush around her feet very interesting.

It was a long time before he said anything, and when she finally looked up, he was watching her with an unreadable expression. "You should listen to your Naruto friend," he told her bluntly. Sakura only looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "If you keep coming back, I'll end up killing you one day. Like I almost did tonight." It was as close to an apology as she'd ever get.

"But you didn't," she protested, staring him straight in the eye. "Your dominant side has more control."

"Which is something you shouldn't rely on. If my instincts kick in, again, I could murder you in cold blood. The more you struggle and beg, the more thrilling the kill."

"Would you really kill me?" she asked, her face serious.

"I would."

"I don't believe that."

Sasuke scoffed and turned his back on her. "You're annoying..." he finally said.

"I know," she murmured, smiling sadly. It was the way they always parted.

"Don't expect to see me, again," he said, starting to walk back in to the trees. "By the way..." he added, throwing a last glance at her over his shoulder, "Those murders you mentioned earlier... That wasn't me." Then he was gone as quickly and quietly as he'd come, leaving her alone in the forest with her thoughts.

She didn't see him again for three years.

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><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Well, there you have it. Thanks for reading, and please leave a review on your way out. Comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated!


	2. Chapter One: The Purging

**Author's Note**: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get the next chapter out, but I really wasn't expecting as much feedback as I got. You guys are great ^_^

I really don't like the word "vampire", so I came up with my own terms for them. Those will be introduced in this chapter. Also, just so no one is confused, this still technically takes place before the revolution, but you'll see what I mean when you read it.

Okay, I think that's it. Please read and enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter One: The Purging<strong>

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><p>Sasuke was true to his word. After two weeks of sneaking out to the Forest of Death and waiting around for him to show, Sakura finally realized she wouldn't be seeing him, again.<p>

As time went by, she began to have more exposure to the vampires. She eventually learned that vampires referred to those that fed indiscriminately on humans as "balken" and looked down upon them. Those from prominent clans were known as "vrystoi". They were the really dangerous ones. In fact, the more she learned, the more afraid of them she became.

Pretty soon, Sasuke became the least of her worries. There were much more pressing matters—like the unrest amongst the members of the Hyuuga Clan and the imminent threat of war that loomed over the Hidden Leaf Village like a cloud. Every night more people disappeared until it became dangerous to go out after dark.

Three months after Sakura turned eighteen the Hyuuga Clan declared their allegiance to the Uchiha and launched a full-fledged attack against the Hidden Leaf Village. Many smaller clans throughout the five great ninja villages rose up to begin what would become known as "The Purging". It was the greatest coordinated attack the world had ever seen and came on so swiftly that the village leaders barely had a chance to respond.

Three nights before the attack on the Hidden Leaf Village, the hum of chakra was thick in the air. It left the shinobi on edge, though they didn't know what they were waiting for. A storm was coming, but they had no way of knowing the extent of the damage, that their lives would be forever changed.

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><p>Sakura's eyes snapped open, and she sat up in bed, feeling instantly awake and alarmed, though she wasn't sure why. She glanced around her room, eyes roving all the dark corners, but she couldn't detect anything unusual. She was about to roll over and pull the covers back over her head when she caught the faint scent of burning wood. She threw off her covers and jumped out of bed, ignoring the cool night air against her bare arms as she stepped over to the window. The air felt charged, heavy like it used to when she'd meet up with Sasuke. It left her feeling unsettled.<p>

Upon first glance, everything seemed normal, but then she noticed a pillar of smoke rising up near the hospital. Her eyes widened, and she craned her head to the right when the distinct sound of woman's scream traveled up and down her quiet street. The woman stumbled out her front door two houses down from Sakura and collapsed out in her yard. A man was leaning over her a moment later, and Sakura watched in frozen indecision as he knelt down next to her and began convulsing. It took her a second or two to realize with fascinated horror that he was eating her, or rather, draining her blood. Perhaps, he was consuming her flesh too. She couldn't tell.

Then several things happened at once. Something swooped down and crashed through someone's window. When a man ran outside, he was tackled to the ground by another dark form, which Sakura's delayed thought process informed her was probably a balken. The creature bent the man's arms at an unnatural angle and snapped his back in half with a sickening flick of his wrist. Like it was nothing. The streets were suddenly swarming with people, some of them wearing civilian clothing, running and screaming in every direction. Balkens dropped down on them from nowhere, tearing at their flesh. Within minutes, nearly a dozen people lay dead in the street, blood pooling around them. Where were they all coming from? What was going on? Sakura felt dread settle in her stomach at the realization that her quiet village was under attack. She had to alert her mentor, Tsunade Shishou-sama, if she didn't already know.

Sakura pulled away from the window, her heart racing in her chest, and reached for the bag on her chair she kept packed for emergency missions. She ran from her room and down the stairs, taking them two at a time. However, before she could reach the front door, it flew open, and three figures stood before her, menacing in their black robes. She stopped in her tracks and stared up at them in horror as two things occurred to her simultaneously. Firstly, that these were definitely vrystoi, much more powerful, intelligent beings than balkens. Secondly, that they were from either the Uchiha or Hyuuga Clans, two of the most powerful clans in the world. Fighting them would be foolish. Standing around staring at them in awestruck horror would be equally so. Something clicked into place, and she felt a sudden adrenaline spike surge through her muscles. Mentally acknowledging the fight or flight response, she turned and took off down the hall toward the kitchen. If she could just reach the backdoor, she might be able to make it.

She felt the rush of wind against her cheek and had just enough time to register the sensation as unnatural before someone cut off her escape route, appearing directly in front of her out of seemingly nowhere. Sakura gasped and barely managed to stop herself from plowing into him, panting heavily from adrenaline. She turned back, but another vrystoi stood behind her, arms crossed arrogantly over his chest. She turned back around and looked up into the cold, white eyes of what could only be a Hyuuga Clan member. He had long, black hair that fell past his shoulders and an odd mark in the middle of his forehead where his hitai ate should have been. It resembled two broken lines with an x in the middle, a symbol of servitude for any member of the Hyuuga branch family to pledge their loyalty to the main family. This wasn't common knowledge, but Sakura had learned about it from Tsunade.

Her curiosity about his willingness to bare his brand for everyone to see nearly overpowered her fear of him until her common sense kicked back in. He may at one point have been allied with Konoha, but it was obvious his clan's allegiance had changed. She focused chakra into her hands and spread her feet apart, getting into battle stance. It didn't look like she was going to get out of this one without a fight.

Instead of attacking her, however, the Hyuuga let his arms drop to his sides, the loose sleeves of his white shirt rustling against his skin. He took a step back and stared down at her with a slight frown. "My name is Hyuuga Neji," he said coolly. "If you want to make it through this night alive, you'll do exactly as I say. Do you understand?"

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, and she drew her hands closer to her sides in a subconscious move to protect herself. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice odd to her own ears. "Aren't you here to kill me?"

The white eyed man turned his head to the side just slightly. "No, but there are others from my clan who wish to." His eyes flicked briefly over her head to the man behind her. "We need to move. You're not safe here."

"What's going on?" Sakura demanded. "Why are balkens out there killing people?" She cringed at the desperation in her tone. "What do you want from me?"

"You are the Hokage's apprentice," Neji told her as though it should be obvious why she was being targeted, "and, therefore, a threat. The Hyuuga main family has orders to kill you."

"I thought the Hyuuga Clan was an ally of Konoha? What happened to your so called honor?" Sakura knew she was probably pushing it, but she couldn't help the bitterness that crept into her tone. The Hyuuga were a very proud clan, who valued honor and tradition above everything else. They were also known for their loyalty, but the last could apparently be bought by the highest bidder.

For a moment Neji looked slightly irritated, but the expression lasted only a moment. "As I've said, I have no intention of harming you. However, I can't speak for the rest of my clan."

"Why should I trust you?" Sakura demanded. "How do I know this isn't an elaborate ruse to trap me?"

Neji snorted softly in what Sakura determined was amusement, though his facial features didn't change. "If I'd wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."

She stared up at his stoic expression and admitted reluctantly to herself that he was right. He could probably tear her apart before she realized what was happening. He turned without waiting for her reply and led her to the back door. She followed haltingly behind him and paused in the doorway, still not sure if trusting him was a good idea. "Wait," she said suddenly. "Why are you doing this?" He turned to stare blankly at her, and she gestured with her hands, trying to elaborate her point. "I mean," she said, "you _are_ a member of the Hyuuga Clan, right? So isn't this considered treason or something? Why do you care what happens to me?"

He stared at her a moment before he settled on a response. "Your safety was a request from my cousin," was all he said.

Sakura stared at him a moment until it dawned on her: Hyuuga Hinata! It wasn't very common for vrystoi to attend the academy with regular students, especially ones from prominent clans, but it wasn't unheard of, either. The quiet girl had been in several of Sakura's classes, and though it couldn't be said that they were especially close, Sakura had grown fond of her. She was the only other vrystoi besides Sasuke that Sakura could say she interacted with on a regular basis.

Neji's reasons for his actions now made a lot more sense to Sakura, and she felt she could let her guard down. To an extent. Neji seemed to see the acceptance in her eyes and gave her a slight nod before turning for the door. Sakura noted-as she quickened her pace to keep up with him-that he didn't really appear to run, but more so glide. He moved with effortless grace, a refinement that made her feel awkward and clumsy, though her training left her anything but. She wondered if all vrystoi moved this way. Maybe it was just those from prominent clans. Or maybe it was just Neji.

She followed him outside, squinting to see his silhouette ahead of her. They wound through the confusion of running bodies and toward the shadier side of the village. They snuck through isolated side streets, pass run-down buildings, and into more dark allies. Sometimes he'd grab her and pull her into a side pass when he sensed a balken. She could never sense them until they were right on top of them. She quickly learned to trust his instincts and judgment. She didn't question where they were going, just kept following him. The other Hyuuga Clan members, the two that had accompanied him, had left them some time ago. She didn't question them, either.

Suddenly, Sakura's heart leapt in her throat when a dark figure appeared in front of them. His presence was obviously a surprise to Neji if the tension in his shoulders was anything to go by. He had spiky, black hair and the Uchiha Clan's trademark Sharingan eyes. A face guard covered the right side of his face and a sash on his shoulder held a sword. He had a rather intimidating presence.

He ignored Sakura's sharp intake of breath and instead turned to look at Neji. The Hyuuga averted his eyes to the man's feet, a sign of respect. The man studied him for a long moment before speaking. "Hyuuga Neji," he said. Neji twitched his fingers slightly, but otherwise made no outward motion that he was uncomfortable. "You _are_ aware of the orders you've received." He spoke it as a statement, though the question was evident.

"Yes, Setsuna-sama."

"Then what are you doing?" Setsuna appeared calm on the outside, but Sakura could feel the malice in his aura, pressing in around her. He was obviously a dangerous man.

Neji refused to answer, instead staring determinedly at the ground. Before Sakura could even blink, Setsuna was directly in front of him, reaching out to grab his throat. Neji reacted faster and struck the pressure point of Setsuna's wrist with his two fingers, cutting off his flow of chakra.

Sestuna cursed and leapt back as Neji brought his hands to his sides in a defensive gesture. For a moment they just glared at each other. The standoff was broken when Setsuna said, "Do you plan to defy us?"

"This attack is unwarranted and unnecessary," came Neji's vague reply.

"That doesn't really matter," Setsuna sneered. "If you choose to disobey us, you'll be treated as an enemy. Stand down, now, or be killed."

Neji smirked. "And I suppose you'll be the one to kill me?"

Setsuna glared at him, not missing the insult in his words. "I might not be as strong as you, you arrogant little bitch. But you're no match for Uchiha Fugaku. He'll rip you apart before you even have a chance to activate your precious Byakugan."

Neji's smirk slipped, and he straightened up a little. "Uchiha Fugaku?"

"Yeah, that's right." Setsuna's expression turned gleeful at the change in Neji's demeanor. "Not so cocky now, are you? Tell you what, you hand the girl over to me, and we'll pretend this thing never happened. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what'll happen to you." At Neji's silence, he added, "You and I both know we're going to win. If that girl doesn't die now, she'll die another way by someone else's hands. What's the point of prolonging the inevitable? Hand her to me."

Neji looked at Setsuna, then turned to regard Sakura. "Forgive me, Sakura-san," he said. He took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest, as though realizing he couldn't win.

Setsuna grinned in smug satisfaction. Sakura knew that he was planning to kill her, and that he held no remorse for what he was about to do. He took a step toward her, and she gathered all her chakra into one punch, aiming it toward his chest. His movement was fast and graceful, too much so to be human, as he dodged the blow and grabbed her arm, twisting it around like it was no effort at all. She let out a cry of pain as he pushed her to her knees and stared down at her apathetically. "There's no use fighting. Submit willingly, and I'll make this as painless as possible."

"Go to Hell," Sakura hissed out in anger. She knew he completely overpowered her, but she couldn't just take this lying down. She had to at least try to fight. Unfortunately, that meant she was guaranteed a painful death when Setsuna finally did kill her. Sadistic bastard. He was probably enjoying this.

Sakura began gathering chakra into her legs, but before she could make a run for it, she felt a presence unlike any she'd ever felt before. A figure landed behind her, and Setsuna gazed up, his mouth open in surprise. Even Neji stood at full attention, his eyes wide.

Sakura glanced over her shoulder and nearly lost her balance, thinking for a moment that her assaulter was Sasuke. However, she soon realized that this man was taller with higher cheek bones. His hair was also longer, pulled back in a pony tail, and his eyes held even less emotion.

She then noticed the Uchiha symbol on his clothes and felt her breath hitch in her throat. Although she'd never met him personally, it didn't take a genius to know exactly who he was. "Uchiha Itachi," she breathed with growing unease.

"Do not harm her, Setsuna," Itachi said. His smooth, deep tone sent unwanted chills down Sakura's spine. "There's been a change of plans."

Setsuna narrowed his eyes and took a step forward. "But your father… Didn't he order-"

"My father was unaware that she had already been claimed," he said. The fact that he could have so much authority without even raising his voice amazed Sakura so much that she almost missed what he'd actually said.

Setsuna didn't though. "This is ridiculous," he said, gesturing with his hands to convey his point. "Who among us would claim, her, a human?"

Itachi closed his eyes briefly before opening them and staring straight at Setsuna. By the way the other man glanced away from Itachi's eyes, Sakura realized the stare had been issued as a challenge. "My little brother," he said softly. Setsuna blinked and stared down at the ground.

"With all due respect, Itachi-sama," Neji said, speaking up for the first time, "for a human to be claimed in such a manner is highly unorthodox. There's no guarantee she'll even survive. Please spare her the-"

"That's enough, Neji-san," Itachi cut him off. "This doesn't concern you."

Then he turned to study Sakura. His face was impassive, and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Suddenly, his black eyes bled red as he activated his Sharingan. She was pulled into his gaze, unable to move or look away no matter how hard she tried. She was terrified and fascinated at the same time. She felt sleepy, such as in a dreamlike state, but she couldn't wake herself up, couldn't pull her eyes away. She began to feel lightheaded as her limbs grew heavy. His eyes were the last things she saw before she blacked out.

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><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Just for the record, Uchiha Setsuna is a real character, I didn't make him up.

I'm sure some of you will be upset that Sasuke wasn't in this chapter, but I had to get the plot rolling. He'll show up next time, so don't worry.

Uchiha Itachi and Hyuuga Neji are two of my all time FAVORITE Naruto characters, so they'll be popping up from time to time.

Please don't hate Neji. He wanted to help but then realized that what he was doing was pointless.

Next chapter will introduce life after the vrystoi conquer, so that's when the drama will really begin.

Thanks for reading and please review!


	3. Chapter Two: Unexpected Reunion

**Author's Note**: Thanks so much for all the feedback from last chapter! Your interest in this story is what motivates me to keep writing.

I'm glad to see you guys had positive reactions to Neji and Itachi showing up. I plan on bringing in other characters as the story progresses. As for the other Uchiha Clan members… guess you'll just have to wait and see ^_~

Please enjoy the next chapter!

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Unexpected Reunion<strong>

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><p>When Sakura finally woke up, it took her a long moment to remember what had happened, that she'd been under the control of Uchiha Itachi's Sharingan. No, perhaps not the Sharingan. She remembered it looking differently than Sasuke's always had. Too many points and angles.<p>

She blinked around at the darkness when the enormity of the situation suddenly hit her and panic began to seize her still groggy mind, telling her to run. It lasted only a moment before her logical side took control. Since she had no idea where she was, she decided to stay put until she analyzed the situation further. First, she had to determine the extent of her injuries. She tried to move her arms, but her body felt heavy as though she was being weighted down to the ground. The most likely explanation being it was an aftereffect of whatever eye technique Itachi had used.

She became aware of something on her right middle finger—some kind of ring?—and tried to pull it off, but it wouldn't budge. When she tried to summon chakra into her hands to destroy it, it was as though her chakra channels had closed off, trapping the energy within her. The pressure built up inside her, but it had nowhere to go. No release, like the carbonation in a coke bottle that's just been shaken. She tried again, but there was only a trickle of energy. This new development disturbed her, made her feel naked. Had the vrystoi found a way to control the chakra flow of human beings? How would she be able to fight? Panic began to bubble up in her, again, but she forced her mind blank.

After she'd tested her other limbs and concluded that she wasn't seriously injured, she took a moment to take in her surroundings. She wasn't in the cell of a dungeon as she'd first assumed but rather in a very dark, empty room. The floor was hard, most likely made of some kind of wood. It didn't feel like linoleum or tile, but she couldn't see it well enough to tell for sure. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees and reached an arm out to feel around her.

Her exploration of the room was tedious and didn't turn up any useful information, other than she was being kept in a bedroom. There weren't any windows, so her only means of escape was through the door on the other end, and it was probably deadlocked from the outside. Normally, she could just punch her way out, but considering the circumstances, this could prove very problematic.

She crawled over to it and rattled the handle, just to be sure. The door creaked open, and she felt her eyes widen in surprise. She hesitated briefly before rising to her feet and slipping out the door, closing it quietly behind her. She found herself in a long, dimly lit hallway. Wooden beams framed the ceiling in an arch, beautifully furnished with elaborate carvings. Paintings of places she'd never been adorned the walls, and she stared up at them in awe. Wherever she was, it belonged to someone important. The place screamed of wealth and power.

She stopped when she got to a staircase and peered over the rail, debating whether to move forward or to turn back. It was quiet, eerily so, and she wondered if she was walking into a trap. Why would they kidnap her and then allow her to roam free? What was to stop her from simply walking out the front door? Unless, of course, they were giving her this option to see what she'd do as some kind of test. If this was part of the Uchiha compound—and she suspected it was—then it was probably best not to leave this building. Not only could she not use her chakra, but her body's reactions were slow and sluggish. A vrystoi, especially an Uchiha, could take her down before she realized what was happening. At least in here she was relatively safe. If they didn't need her for something, she felt sure she'd already be dead.

She reached the bottom of the staircase and paused, not sure where to go from there. There were so many doors and hallways that the place was like a labyrinth. She probably wouldn't be able to find her way back to the dark room even if she wanted to.

She turned a corner and nearly bumped into someone, would have if not for her reflexes that forced her back a step. She looked up into the black eyes of Uchiha Sasuke and felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Sasuke stared at her blankly, not seeming to care one way or another about her (near) invasion of his personal space. "It's you," she gasped, feeling like a cornered mouse under his predatory stare. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were there..." She trailed off, realizing how stupid she sounded. Now that she was actually aware of him, the intensity of his aura made her feel slightly sick to her stomach. How the _hell_ had she managed to miss _that_?

"What are you doing down here?" He didn't sound angry, but Sakura flinched, anyway.

"The door was unlocked," she said, deciding to stick to the truth. "And I didn't know where I was." She gathered up some courage to look him in the eyes. "Are you going to kill me?"

He studied her for a long moment before he said, "I'll get someone to escort you back to your room."

He started to move away, but Sakura stopped him. "Sasuke, wait," she said, reaching out a hand reflexively but pulling it back just in time. He turned to regard her with a raised eyebrow, and she cringed at her slip up. If he was anything like she remembered him, using no suffix at all was almost as bad as using the suffix "kun". He didn't seem to mind, but she hesitated, not sure what to say. It wasn't that she wanted him to stay exactly—she hadn't forgotten about the last time they'd met—but she didn't want him to leave her all alone, either. She wanted to ask him why she was there, what they planned on doing to her, but she was afraid. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know the answers.

He seemed to sense her hesitation and his facial features softened a fraction. "Stay here," he told her firmly.

He moved past her without another word, and she watched him walk down the hallway with such grace it was ridiculous. Just like Neji had, Sasuke seemed to glide without making any noise at all. No wonder they could appear out of seemingly nowhere.

Unsure what else to do, Sakura sank to a crouch and leaned back against the wall, suddenly feeling very drained. She waited there for what felt like an eternity before Sasuke returned with a girl around her age. She was very familiar, and Sakura frowned and stood up, trying to place her. She had a disheveled appearance like someone who'd just been dragged from bed, though her eyes were alert and weary. The girl's hair was up in two buns, a style very distinct to someone she'd known at the academy. "Are you…?" she started to ask as the girl stopped in front of her.

Her brown eyes widened, and her lips curved up in a wide smile. "Haruno Sakura!" she exclaimed, launching forward to give her a hug. Sasuke hung back, silently watching the reunion. "I can't believe you're here," she said, holding her shoulders at arm's length to get a better look at her. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's great seeing you too," Sakura said, eyeing her up and down. She hadn't known the girl, Tenten, all that well since she'd been a year ahead, but it was a relief to see a familiar face.

"How long has it been?" Tenten asked.

"Almost two years, I think. Have you been here all this time?" Sakura asked quietly. She remembered when Tenten had gone missing, what a stir it had caused. The Konoha police had searched for her for months with no sign as to her whereabouts. Ironically, she'd been right under their noses.

Tenten opened her mouth to reply, but Sasuke cut in before she could go into detail. "Tenten," he said, drawing the attention of both girls. "Take Sakura to your room and prepare a cot. She'll share your room for now." Then he turned to Sakura. "Report to my father in the morning, and he'll assign you to a maid. Got it?"

"Yes, Sasuke-sama," Tenten said demurely, keeping her eyes on the floor.

Sakura just nodded, too dumbstruck to answer until Tenten elbowed her in the gut. She had to clear her throat to get the words out. "Yes, Sasuke-sama," she said.

He studied her for another moment before giving her a slight nod. Then he was gone.

"Wow," Tenten breathed after they could no longer sense him. "That was the most I've ever heard him speak, like ever. I didn't even know he knew my name."

"He isn't how I remember him," Sakura said, her voice low.

Tenten gave her a sidelong glance. "Well, he must like you well enough. He doesn't usually concern himself with servants' affairs," she said, rolling her eyes at the last two words. They began walking and Sakura followed Tenten to the big staircase.

"What about his brother?" she ventured to ask. She felt reluctantly indebted to him since he'd saved her from the vrystoi named Setsuna, though she doubted he saw it in that way.

"You mean, Itachi-sama?" Tenten said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "He's not that bad. I've only seen him a handful of times, but he's always really polite. He's sort of cute in a mysterious, brooding kind of way, you know? Don't tell anyone I said that," she added hurriedly.

"I won't." Sakura stared down at the stairs, carefully watching where she put her feet so as not to trip. "Are they close?"

Tenten hummed in response as they finished climbing the stairs. Then she made a sharp left, and Sakura hurried to catch up, unwilling to get left behind. "Sasuke-sama idolizes him, I think, but I've heard he's had to take on the title of heir because Itachi-sama declined it. The stress has put a rift between them. I don't really know the details, but that's what they're saying."

Sakura wanted to ask who "they" were but decided it didn't matter. Even vrystoi colonies had their rumor mills, apparently. "Oh. Hey, I almost forgot," she said, gesturing to the ring on her hand. "What is this?"

Tenten glanced at it and raised an eyebrow. "That's a chakra ring. It prevents us from using our chakra, so we don't try to fight. See?" She held out her own hand. "I have one too."

"Does the color mean anything?" she asked when she noticed Tenten's was green.

"Yep. It represents the amount of chakra in your body. It doesn't necessarily give an accurate reading of your strength, but it's a good indicator. The colors go white, yellow, green, blue, red, and black."

"What happens if we take them off?"

Tenten's eyes widened. "Don't even try it, Sakura. I heard there was a girl named Mizuki who took her ring off, and she disappeared the next day. No one ever saw her, again."

"Maybe she just escaped," Sakura said hopefully.

"No way. I hear they killed her and buried her behind the Uchiha compound as an example to the servants."

"Servants?" Sakura deadpanned. "Is that what they're calling it, now?"

Tenten nodded solemnly. "It sounds better than 'slaves', I guess."

Once they reached Tenten's room, Sakura helped her prepare a cot, and they spent several hours catching up. Sakura learned that she was now considered the property of the Uchiha Clan. She'd heard of vrystoi clans capturing human subjects to use for slave labor, but it was never something she'd put much thought into. She never would have dreamed it was happening so close to home. She filled Tenten in on the Hidden Leaf Village attack and how Uchiha Itachi had stopped Setsuna from killing her. Tenten told her about how she'd been kidnapped by some rogue balken and sold to a clan in Lightning Country through the black market. They'd eventually given her as a gift to the Uchiha Clan as a sign of good faith. Sakura was enthralled by her stories, and it was nearly four in the morning before she was able to fall asleep.

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><p>The next morning, Tenten escorted Sakura down to the kitchen where they met the main cook, Harumi. Sakura thought it odd that vrystoi would bother to have cooks (didn't they drink blood?) but didn't voice that thought aloud. Another servant was sitting at the table eating breakfast. When Sakura greeted her, she looked up and gave her a nod but didn't say a word. After seeing Sakura's expression, Tenten explained that the girl, Maya, was a mute who'd had her tongue cut out as a punishment for some sort of heinous crime. No one spoke of it, and only Maya seemed to know what really happened. Unfortunately, she could neither read nor write, and she obviously couldn't speak.<p>

After breakfast, Tenten led Sakura to Uchiha Fugaku's office and gave her a final word of advice. "Don't look him in the eye," she said. "Don't speak unless spoken to, and for the love of God, don't address him as anything other than Fugaku-sama. Okay?" When Sakura nodded, Tenten smiled and added, "Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'll be waiting for you out here."

"Okay," Sakura said, her voice sounding small to her own ears. She took a deep breath, wiped her sweaty palms on her pants, and knocked on the door.

"Enter," she heard from inside.

She opened the door and peered cautiously into the room. Fugaku was sitting at a mahogany desk, writing something with a quill pen. It was such a quaint sight that Sakura just stared at him until she remembered she wasn't supposed to do that. She looked pass him at the wall, instead. "Well, don't just stand there," he said, looking up at her with a stern expression. "Come in and close the door."

"Yes, Fugaku-sama," she said, feeling slightly irritated despite the nerves running rampant around in her stomach. She didn't like being treated like a child.

And didn't anyone ever smile around here, damn it?

She approached the desk but kept a respectful distance away, staring down at her feet. Fugaku cut right to the chase. "Starting tomorrow you'll report to Akako every morning at seven. She'll give you a list of responsibilities you'll accomplish. Naturally, if Mikoto, Itachi, Sasuke, or myself gives you a direct order, you will follow that first and foremost. Is that understood?" Sakura nodded but kept her eyes on the floor. "You will address me as Fugaku-sama when I ask you a question."

Sakura nearly jumped at his tone. "Yes, Fugaku-sama."

"Look at me." Startled, Sakura looked up at his face as he studied her with the same intensity Sasuke had the night before. Now, she knew where he got it from. "What's your name?"

"My name is Haruno Sakura, Fugaku-sama," Sakura said in a rush, feeling her face grow hot under his scrutiny.

Fugaku grunted, and she took it to mean he'd put her name together with her hair color. "Sakura. I expect only perfection from my staff. Work hard and you'll be treated well. If you have any questions, direct them to Akako. She'll give you your schedule tomorrow."

"Yes, Fugaku-sama."

He gave her one more stern look before going back to his paperwork, muttering something that sounded like, "my foolish son," under his breath. Then, without looking up, he added, "You're dismissed."

Sakura inclined her head slightly. She felt her shoulders sag in relief as she exited the room, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. As promised, Tenten was leaning against the wall, waiting for her.

"So, how'd it go?" she asked anxiously.

"I'm assigned to someone named Akako?" Sakura said, turning the statement into a question with a lilt of her tone.

Tenten cringed and gave her a sympathetic look. "Ah, tough luck. No one around here really likes her."

"Why?" Sakura asked, feeling dread curl in her stomach, again.

"She's just bossy and stuck up," Tenten said. "She's kind of a bitch." She glanced down at her watch and wrinkled up her nose. "Anyway, I need to get back to work, but we can meet up in the kitchen for dinner later. By the way," she said, turning and glancing at Sakura over her shoulder. She grinned and held up her fingers in a "V" sign. "Welcome to the Uchiha Clan."

...

...

_Four Months Later_

...

...

Sakura sat upright in her cot and stared around in panic until she remembered where she was. This was her room in the Uchiha compound. She was safe for the time being.

"Sakura?" The groggy voice brought her attention to Tenten, who slept in the cot next to her. Instead of getting her own room, Sakura had opted to stay with her. Tenten had no objections, and it was nice to have someone to talk to at night. "Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing," she said. "Go back to sleep."

Tenten must have caught the strain in her voice because there was a pause before she asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Sakura breathed a shaky sigh and leaned back down. She didn't want to tell her friend the real reason she'd woken up, so she decided on a half-truth. "Just another dream." It was the same dream she'd been having for the past couple weeks, the one about her last night in Konoha. The night she'd met Itachi. The night her life had ended.

She hadn't known it at the time, but the attack on her village marked the beginning of the Purging, the greatest vrystoi uprising the world had ever seen. She was still piecing the events together, but from what she knew, it only took three weeks for the vrystoi to completely overpower the Five Great Shinobi Countries. _Three weeks_.

The idea was like a bad taste in her mouth. She still couldn't believe her old way of life was nothing but a thing of the past, a shadow occupying her once happy memories.

Tenten shifted uncomfortably next to her, bringing her attention back to the present. "Are you nervous?"

This was the last thing Sakura wanted to talk about, but she didn't want Tenten to worry. "I'll be fine," she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. "You should go back to sleep. We need to keep up our strength."

Tenten grunted in agreement and fell silent. Eventually, her breathing evened out. Sakura stared up at the ceiling for several long moments, unable to shut her mind off. If she was completely honest with herself, she wasn't just nervous—she was terrified. Tomorrow, she'd be formally claimed by Uchiha Sasuke.

From what she'd been told, the claiming would be held in front of Clan Elders and a short ceremony would follow. The claiming was an ancient jutsu that vrystoi used to dominate members of opposing clans. She didn't really understand how the jutsu worked, but apparently it was extremely painful and often killed its hosts before it was complete. If successful, it would seal her life energy to Sasuke, tying her fate to his. If anything happened to her, he was unaffected, but if he died, her life would end as well. She understood how this could be useful, keeping a prisoner from attacking and killing the captor. Not only that, but Sasuke would be able to locate her from anywhere on the compound. Some even said he'd be able to read her thoughts and speak to her telepathically.

She could understand why the ritual would be performed on a fellow vrystoi, who rivaled in speed and power, but she didn't understand why it was being done to her? None of the other servants of the Uchiha family had undergone such a ritual, their chakra rings kept them in check. No human had ever received the ritual. No one even knew how it would affect her. She prayed Sasuke knew what he was doing since he'd be the one performing it. She hadn't even seen him since the night she'd arrived.

Sakura rolled over in her cot and faced the wall. Instead of reliving painful memories she couldn't handle, she pictured a white dry erase board in her mind. It was a trick she'd learned to focus her thoughts, to keep herself from thinking of things she shouldn't. It gave her something to concentrate on so her mind wouldn't wander. She could feel a sting behind her eyes, but she wouldn't allow herself to cry, again. Crying wouldn't help her, wouldn't bring her home back.

She didn't even remember falling asleep.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes<strong>: Hope you guys enjoyed Sasuke's return. I know it probably wasn't the most exciting interaction, but they'll get there. Next chapter will go into more detail on the Claiming.

Please review!


	4. Chapter Three: The Claiming

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! I'm really sorry for such a long delay, but I promise I haven't given up on this story. Although I love my job, it doesn't allow for a lot of free time, and when I get home at night I just want to go to bed. I write when I can, but updates tend to be slow. Thanks for being patient with me.

Thanks for all the feedback from last chapter. It helps motivate me on those days when I don't feel like writing.

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><p><strong>Chapter Three: The Claiming<strong>

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><p>The next morning, Sakura awoke from a sharp tingle in her middle finger, informing her it was time to get up. Her pillow was wet, again. She'd obviously been crying in her sleep. She glanced over at the cot next to her, but Tenten was still asleep. It surprised her that the chakra ring hadn't woken her too, but she shrugged it off. Unlike her, Tenten didn't have a ceremony to prepare for. Sakura froze as thoughts of the one thing she was dreading came crashing down around her. She felt a shudder run through her body.<p>

Oh, right. The Claiming.

She sat up and stretched, then rolled her achy shoulders. She'd send chakra to soothe her muscles if she could but her ring prevented it. That had been the hardest thing to adjust to, no chakra. Without it, she felt incomplete, like she was missing a limb. It gave her the same vulnerability as wearing a flashing, neon sign in the middle of a dark alley.

She gave a little start when a maid burst into the room, holding a blue gown in her arms. "Get up, Sakura," the woman, Akako, demanded with a scowl. "Didn't you feel your chakra ring? Do we have to make a special request to Fugaku-sama to have the setting changed?"

Sakura glared at her, feeling her mood immediately darken. "Don't worry, I felt it," she said, throwing the covers off her legs. Maids like Akako were paid by the Uchiha household for their service while servants like Sakura and Tenten were there against their wills. Maids considered themselves of higher standing than servants and often mistreated them when no one was looking. Sakura didn't really know how one went about becoming a maid but knew for a fact that she would rather die than work for any member of the Uchiha Clan of her own free will.

"Hurry up, then," Akako said in a no-nonsense tone. "Harumi-san has already prepared your breakfast. When you're finished, you'll report to me in the sitting room." With that, she threw the gown onto the cot and strode back out the door as Sakura glared after her.

There were exceptions, but as a general rule Sakura didn't like maids, and she really, _really_ disliked—hate was a word reserved for members of the vrystoi species—Akako.

After a quick breakfast, Sakura met Akako in the sitting room as ordered and spent the remainder of the day meditating to prepare her body for what was to come. Not that it would make much difference, she mused cynically. She had no idea how the ritual would impact her physical or mental state, so the best she could do was organize her thoughts and accept what was about to happen.

Death was a likely possibility. Or at least a great deal of pain.

In fact, Sakura realized that the whole point of the meditation process was to come to terms with the inevitability of her death and make peace with it. For this she felt a small amount of appreciation for Akako since the vrystoi clearly didn't give a damn what happened to her. She imagined the Claiming was more a show of power to reinforce to the servants and maids that they were expendable, that their lives meant next to nothing. If she died, she'd be an example of the Uchiha Clan's power. If she survived, it would demonstrate the compassion the Uchiha held toward their subjects, and ultimately, put them in a favorable light. Either way, they would only benefit from her suffering.

As much as Sakura tried to clear her mind of thoughts, they eventually drifted back to her friends—the people she'd left behind. She didn't have any family. Her mother hadn't approved of the shinobi lifestyle her father had opted to pursue and left them when she was young. Her father had been targeted by a rogue vrystoi when she was ten and killed in front of her. The years between her mother leaving and her father's death had been difficult, and there were periods of time she couldn't remember. Tsunade had later explained that the brain will block out memories that are too painful to deal with.

As for her friends, Sakura hadn't heard from any of them since she'd been kidnapped, didn't know if any of them were even still alive. Most likely they'd been rounded up and relocated to what the vrystoi called "blood ranches", internment compounds where humans were held for breeding and stock purposes. From what she understood, the humans were kept in simple, tar paper-covered barracks without electricity or plumbing. Many of the camps were underground and had been under construction for years before the Purging took place. Barbed wire surrounded the camps and the lesser class, balken, were generally hired as guards.

The humans were kept under strict surveillance to ensure their cooperation and had very little freedom. Education and religion were prohibited. Each camp housed a building called a "warehouse" that was lined with chambers for the sole purpose of milking humans for their blood, which occurred every three weeks. The vrystoi knew exactly how much blood to take and how long to give them in between sessions, so as not to kill them. However, losing so much blood so often made the humans sluggish, and they spent large amounts of time sleeping in their barracks, which was probably what the vrystoi wanted.

Sakura had learned all this from one of the new servants, Mikan, who'd lived in one of the blood ranches for a couple months before being sent to the Uchiha compound. In these camps, the brutalizing of humans was a common occurrence, and she'd seen her father and older brother beaten to death by a balken.

Thoughts of the blood ranches left her feeling heavy so she tried to block them out. She spent the rest of the meditation session picturing a dry erase board in her mind, so she wouldn't have to think about anything.

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><p>Later that evening, Sakura was roused from her meditative state by Akako and reluctantly led back upstairs to bathe. Her friend, Maya, helped her do her hair and makeup (though she was perfectly capable of doing that on her own) and ushered her over to a mirror. There weren't many mirrors in the Uchiha household since vrystoi had little use for them, so Sakura hadn't seen her reflection in a long time.<p>

She stared at herself blankly before Maya gestured for her to do a little spin. She did so and turned her head so she could see the strapless, blue gown from the back. The fabric fell around her legs in elegant waves, splitting at the seam. She wore matching blue gloves that came up to her forearm. Maya had styled her pink hair into wavy curls, tied up in a bun. A few strands hung down to frame her face. However, instead of feeling happy, Sakura felt a bitterness rise up in her at the Uchiha Clan as she stared at her reflection.

In the four months she'd been there she'd already lost weight. Her cheeks were sunken and hollow, despite the makeup. Her skin had lost its healthy glow from spending too much time indoors. Her already petite frame was noticeably smaller, seemed to swim in the frills of the gown. It wasn't that she wasn't cared for or mistreated, but Sakura had begun to revert into herself, to lose interest in the world around her. She didn't have an appetite. She wasn't exactly depressed, but the hope she'd carried in the beginning about being rescued was starting to waver.

She realized, as she stared at the mirror through narrowed eyes, she couldn't afford to be so naïve. Life wouldn't—couldn't—go back to the way it had been. She wouldn't see her friends, again. She'd never be able to marry and have a family of her own. Her life was no longer hers. She was only eighteen, and yet, she felt as though her life had already ended. It seemed a shame that Maya had gone through all that work for nothing. For a brief moment, an uncontrollable anger took control of her, and she felt like hurting something. _Killing_ something. She grabbed a brush off the dresser and hurled it at the mirror, shattering it into dozens of pieces.

She clenched her hands into fists and squeezed her eyes shut to keep herself from breaking down, feeling a stinging sensation in the corners of her eyes from unshed tears. She held her breath and listened to the pounding of her heart, which helped calm her. Once she'd regained her composure, she opened her eyes and saw Maya's fragmented reflection in the glass shards. Her face was tense, expression closed off as though she was waiting for Sakura to do something else.

The pink haired girl immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry!" she said in a rush, turning to face her. "I don't know why I did that. I just…" She shrugged helplessly, unable to express the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her.

Maya's expression shifted and her brown eyes softened at her obvious distress. The pink haired girl tried to give her a smile, but she knew it seemed forced. She wanted to tell her friend what was on her mind but the words eluded her. "Thanks, Maya," she whispered, instead, gesturing at herself. "It's beautiful."

Maya seemed to understand and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, a gesture which Sakura returned. Since their first meeting, the two had become fast friends. Maya had originally been a servant of the Hyuuga Clan but had been given away to the Uchiha as a token of good faith nearly a year prior. She was unable to speak due to an accident in which her tongue had been removed, or so Sakura had been told. She didn't buy it, but Maya seemed to shut down whenever she or Tenten brought it up, so the topic was generally left alone. Maya was unusually perceptive to the thoughts and feelings of others and always seemed to know when to show support and when to leave a situation alone.

Sakura helped Maya gather up her supplies and then reluctantly followed her out of the room. They made their way back to the main sitting room where Akako was waiting for them. She eyed Sakura critically and gave an approving nod, dismissing Maya with a flick of her wrist. The two girls exchanged looks before the mute girl hurried from the room, no doubt to go about her normal chores. Sakura felt a little guilty about taking time out of Maya's already busy schedule, but it couldn't be helped. It wasn't like she'd asked to go through this stupid Claiming ritual.

When Sakura looked up and noticed Akako watching her, the maid's features softened, and she gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"I guess," Sakura sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Akako led Sakura out into the hall, giving her last minute instructions and advice, but Sakura only half listened. She'd spent the past two weeks preparing for this and felt she could go through the motions in her sleep. Besides, what advice could Akako possibly give that would be of use since she'd never experienced the ritual herself?

They left the Uchiha main house and stepped out into the street where dusk had already begun to settle. Akako hurried her along, not giving her much opportunity for sightseeing, especially since she had to watch where she put her feet in her high heels. When she did occasionally glance up, she caught glimpses of tall, dark buildings and the ghostly faces of the compound's inhabitants, just beginning to stir. She could feel eyes on her and knew that members of the clan were watching her out their windows. It left her feeling exposed.

They finally made it to a large building that Sakura guessed was used to hold town meetings, or at least that's what it would have been for had this been a human settlement. She wasn't sure what vrystoi used it for. Once inside, they were greeted by an Uchiha member with short, messy hair. He wore a black suit covered in armor with a pouch strapped to his waist. His Sharingan eyes were activated as he stared down at Sakura suspiciously. She averted her eyes from him and felt Akako shift uncomfortably next to her. "Kagami-sama," she murmured, bowing low. Sakura mimicked her action with great reluctance.

Uchiha Kagami didn't bother to return her greeting but merely dismissed her with a nod of his head. Then he narrowed his eyes at Sakura and gestured toward a staircase that led down into a darkened corridor. "Come with me," he said. With one last glance at Akako, Sakura followed after him, lengthening her stride to keep up with his quick pace.

Lit torches hung every fifteen feet and shadows from the firelight danced along the stone walls, casting eerie illusions in the dark. Sakura subconsciously brought her arms around her stomach and moved closer to Kagami, but if the Uchiha noticed, he didn't say anything.

There was a door at the end of the corridor that opened at Kagami's approach, and he walked through without breaking stride. Sakura hesitated briefly before following him into a large room with a ceiling so high it seemed to disappear into the darkness. A large ring of candles formed a perfect circle about thirty feet in diameter in the middle of the room. She followed Kagami through the circle and stopped in front of a raised platform where the clan elders sat in tall-backed, red chairs. One of them was Uchiha Fugaku. Mikoto and Itachi stood to the side, straight and rigid as statues. Kagami went up on the stage to take his place behind the elders.

Sakura's eyes were so busy taking in the details around her that she almost didn't notice Sasuke standing outside the ring of candles, his arms crossed over his chest. He was wearing a white Yukata with a blue sash and black pants, though it was a little difficult for Sakura to tell for sure what color it was in the dark. She found it odd that they'd clothe her in a western style dress when he had opted for more traditional Japanese attire but then decided it didn't really matter.

Sasuke turned to look at her, and the red from his Sharingan glowed in the candlelight, adding to his already sinister aura. Sakura felt something twist in her gut as she averted her gaze to the circle of candles. Now, the clan elders would give a little speech about the tradition of the ritual and she and Sasuke would have to enter the circle, which was meant to represent the binding contract they were about to undergo. The entire ritual was spoken in Latin, which dated back to when it first originated. Sakura wasn't fluent in the language by any stretch of the imagination, but she'd learned enough in her language classes at the academy to have a vague grasp of it. When the elders began to speak, she paid rapt attention, if only so she'd know when her part came in. The actual meaning of the words was lost on her.

In the old days, the process of the Claiming hadn't been so formal, but the jutsu had been lost down the line and was only known to a handful of vrystoi clans. Now, it was considered more sacred than necessary and used more for a show of strength than anything else. At least, that's what she'd been told. She'd given up trying to figure out why it was being done to her. Everyone was so tight-lipped about it there was no point in asking.

Once the elders were finished speaking, Sakura's eyes flitted toward Sasuke who had begun to move toward the circle. This was where she came in. She stepped into the light on the opposite end of him and held her hands to her stomach, feeling more nervous than she ever had in her life.

Sasuke didn't immediately begin but simply stood there and watched her, his face impassive. Sakura shifted her weight under his stare and looked past him to the elders, suddenly feeling uncertain. Was there a line she was missing? Where they expecting her to say something? Even the elders looked on expectantly as though waiting for her to do something. Just as she was about to say the first thing that came to mind, Sasuke closed his eyes and began to speak. The low timber of his voice sent a chill down her spine and was almost enough to make her forget her own part. However, along with learning her own lines, she'd also learned his and had already figured out that he was claiming her mind, body, and fate as his. His last line triggered her memory, and she spoke her part clearly if a little hesitantly. She'd been told her lines translated roughly to, "I am your vessel. I pledge my life to you."

"Nostrum animus es reus," he said, which meant, "our souls are bound."

Then he pressed his fingers together and made several rapid hand movements. Sakura caught a few of the seals, but before she could discern what jutsu he was using, a bright light appeared on the floor and spread to the edge of the circle before dissipating. When Sasuke opened his eyes, the pupils were completely red. "Kokoro haiboku," he said.

For a moment, Sakura felt as though she'd been paralyzed, her limbs wouldn't do as she told them. Then she began to feel disconnected from her body like she was looking down at herself. Her face felt hot like she was being enclosed in a bubble of heat, and it registered to her briefly that her blood pressure must be rising. Probably an affect of the jutsu.

She didn't even realize she'd dropped to her knees until her hands hit the polished, marble floor. A scream ripped from her lips as her muscles seized from the first wave of pain that crashed down on her.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Just so everyone is clear, I don't speak Latin, so the phrase I used is probably all sorts of grammatically incorrect. I also (clearly) made up the jutsu Sasuke used. Call it poetic license. Yeah. I would say the next chapter won't be quite as depressing, but I can make no such promise. ^_~

Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you think.


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